Before we get into it, there’s one thing I’m struggling with – living in the moment and not doing everything for the gram (or the blog). This past week, I took some time to remove myself from social media (except for the occasional insta story), and not get so worked up over not posting to social media or my blog. I am trying to develop myself and my relationships, and sometimes I think the nature of being a blogger impedes that. I hate coming off as self-involved, and I never want people to think that I think I am, for lack of a better term, hot shit – especially new people I meet. I never tell anyone about my blog unless it naturally comes up in conversation because I’m so self-conscious that people will judge me in the wrong way. I also in no way believe that what I have to say is better than what someone else has to say, I’m just taking the opportunity to write it down and share what I’m thinking through this channel. This weekend I was out of town celebrating Mardi Gras and meeting a lot of new people. I took the time to enjoy the moment and not worry about capturing everything on camera because that was my first time celebrating Mardi Gras, and I really wanted to just live in the moment and enjoy what I was doing! What I’m trying to say is that it was nice to just be and do without worrying about what I was going to post and actually getting to know other people. I genuinely have this blog and my social channels for fun, to share my thoughts because sometimes I’m not the best verbal communicator and to have a creative outlet; so this week was a good reminder of that! I encourage you all to take the time to put down your phones, not worry about getting the best shot in the best lighting for instagram and enjoy the people and experiences around you (not other people).

ANYWAY. This is a Friday FUN post, so enough with my whining!

At this point, I’ve seen Fifty Shades Freed, so I’m so over Valentine’s Day and winter! ha! I’m now in full on let’s get to the beach or an island because I desperately need some Vitamin D and a tan. Can I get an AMEN? There’s somewhat of a theme to this week’s Friday Fun – the ocean! The only exception is the wine, but it’s so good I couldn’t leave it off the list! 🙂

Do you have any fun products you’ve recently discovered? Let me know in the comments below!

MUSIC

BEACH NECESSITY

This beach towel is so PUNNY! I really want a circle towel because I feel like the rectangle ones always get bent and get even more sand on them. Maybe that’s just me? Also these seem way bigger!

SWIMSUIT

I have swimsuit & beach/island fever like no other! I’m literally dying to get into a swimsuit. I been to the beach since Thanksgiving and I haven’t been in a swimsuit since I was in Curacao at the end of September! Here are three swimsuits I’m loving right now! You’ll probably see me in one of them soon 🙂 Click on the images to shop!

HAND CREAM

I cannot say enough about this hand cream! I hate having dry hands, so I put hand cream on about three times a day. I was using L’Occitane, but this is better. It’s light-weight and leaves your hands feeling smooth and fresh, not greasy. Thanks to Nordstrom for hooking me on the free sample!

WINE

So a couple weeks ago, I had one of the BEST Pinot Noir’s I’ve had. Surprisingly, it didn’t come from the Willamette Valley, but from the Sonoma Coast! It’s made byGap’s Crown Vineyard, and you HAVE to try it! I usually don’t spend more than $25 on a bottle of wine, but this is worth it for a special occasion!

This post is going to be short & sweet. I’ve been fighting a bit of a sore throat and feeling of sickness the past two days, so I’m writing this rather quickly.

This post is all about cute Valentine’s Day dresses! If there is a time to wear red or pink, Valentine’s Day is it! I’ve heard a lot of people talk about how they aren’t celebrating Valentine’s Day or just don’t like the holiday, so any of the dresses in this post are ones you could wear on a date night or event!

I found some really cute red dresses below, and all are under $150! I tried to find an array of styles that vary from slightly casual to more cocktail appropriate. The first one in the top left corner is the one I have on! For reference, I’m wearing a size Medium. I’m usually between a small and medium and typically wear about a dress size four depending on the cut. I do love that my dress has sleeves since it is still February in NC!

Any of these dresses I would pair with black sandals like I have on (P.S. mine are from Target!) and a black or gold clutch. You can throw on a leather coat or a longer wool coat to keep you warm! Such an easy and well polished look for your honey or if you are just getting dolled up for a girls night!

I’m working on a Galentine’s day post, as that’s what I plan on celebrating! 😉 That will be coming next week, so be on the lookout!

Friends! Happy Friday! It’s time to weekend! I’m going to start writing this post for at least every other Friday. It will contain music, clothing, shoes, accessories, stories and really anything that I discovered recently that I want to share with you. I would love to hear of anything you think is cool/fun in the comments below!

Song of the week: “Wait” by Maroon 5

This has actually been my song of the past month or so, but I know some people haven’t heard it. I love Maroon 5 (aka Adam Levine), but this is a jam.

I saw my male coworker wearing these shoes and thought they looked really cool. They do have men’s, women’s and kids shoes. Apparently you can only get them on their website, and they claim to be the most comfortable shoes in the world. I’m thinking about getting these.

New Favorite YouTube star: Kalen

So first of all, Kalen is hilarious. I would love to eat some bougie mac-n-cheese with him sometime.

I actually got this as a sample over Christmas from a Nordstrom order, and yep, they sold me on it. My new go-to for my eyes in the morning. If you’re not sleeping a lot, you’re dehydrated, you’ve cried yourself to sleep or a number of other things, you likely have puffy or maybe red or dark eyes that do not look great. This serum opens your eyes and brightens them like none other.

I discovered this shop on Instagram, and she has the cutest bar prints and fun drinkware. I’m going to be buying some of these prints for my bar area in my house. I love these prints & they’re local to me!

28 thoughts for turning 28. This is really a stream of consciousness of random things I’ve reflected on recently. 🙂

A smile, a hello and/or a thank you can really brighten someones day.

I like control, but every year, I learn that I actually control less than I want to or think I can/do.

Along those lines, it’s okay to not be married, to not have a boyfriend and to not know when the heck I’m going to have those things, if I ever will. A goal of mine is to continue to find contentment in not knowing when or if those things will happen for me!

I’m INCREDIBLY blessed to be healthy and able to do the activities that I want to. I think as you get older you realize the blessing of health more and more!

I’ve seen and traveled to more places in my 28 years than many people have or will in their entire lives. I am so thankful for these opportunities to see the world and experience new cultures and people. If you have the chance to go to a new place, do it.

I’m starting to feel a need to have a greater impact on my community and on other people in a bigger way. I’ve been very self-focused for many years now, but I’m reaching the place where I want to help others more.

Accepting fear and the unknown is important to overcoming those worries. I think about my job and my personal life.

My family is so important to me and I value the time I have with them more and more each year.

I need to dance more.

I’m noticing more wrinkles and changes to my body which is weird.

I am starting to feel a motherly instinct that I haven’t really felt before. I’m actually thinking more and more about having my own family (but also trying not to worry about it as per #2 on this list).

I never want to stop learning or expanding my mind or thoughts.

Being interested in other people is way more interesting than just blabbing on and on.

Sometimes your girlfriends are all you need.

This year, I’d like to say yes, but also know when to say no and stand up for myself.

It’s okay to stay in and binge watch a show.

Prayer really does work. I’m trying to give my worries to God on a daily (a lot of times, multiple times a day) basis.

People are always going to judge you on something no matter what you do, let them.

Don’t let mistakes of the past ruin your present or future. I’ve dwelled on past mistakes I’ve made and it just makes me unhappy, unproductive and a terrible person to be around. Learn from the mistakes and do better next time.

Forgive people. (I am admittedly working on this one).

It’s okay to cry. I’ve cried every day for the past week.

Wish people a happy birthday and celebrate with them if you can!

I need to get rid of a lot of stuff – clothes, shoes and random things I’ve been given. I don’t need everything I have nor do I even use it!

Take all of the vitamins.

Wash your face every night, put on night cream and take care of your skin!

Lipstick & mascara are the most necessary makeup. Put those two on and you can feel 100x better and more presentable! Also wearing foundation and a bunch of makeup every day doesn’t help your skin.

Find people who make you laugh, but also challenge you to be better. Don’t be afraid of a little truth and tough love! 😉

It’s actually kind of cool getting older. I learn so much every day about the world, about people, about God and about myself; and that’s exciting to me! Without the age, I wouldn’t have the wisdom I do now. I am just so thankful to have another day here on Earth!

What are your life thoughts? Do you agree with anything I’ve said? I would love to hear your experiences and thoughts in the comments below. Love you guys and always grateful for you!

It took me a while to find the coat I’m wearing above. Unfortunately, this one is only available in red or purple, but I’ve linked some other camel coats below.

It’s the middle of January and I’m just getting around to writing my second blog post. This whole blogging and working thing is hard. I completely understand why women quit their jobs to do this full time because blogging really can be a full time job depending on your goals. Speaking of goals, I want to share some of my goals for the New Year (it’s January & I’m still accidentally writing 2017, so I’m still considering 2018 new)! One awesome tip that a friend of mine shared is to setup monthly goals rather than trying to set yearly goals. My goals below are high level and more yearly goals, and I’m breaking them down monthly to have short term goals. I want to share this publicly so I can be held accountable to them. Also, it will be neat to go back every now and then and at the end of the year and reflect on what I have (or have not) accomplished.

Be more like Jesus – loving, compassionate, forgiving and giving. These are hard to do when you’re stubborn and full of pride which to be honest (see goal two), I am. I’m sincerely praying about these, especially as I reflect on the last year.

Be more honest and authentic. I’ve always had perfectionist tendencies and portrayed what I thought was perfect to other people and the world. I started to learn last year that God created me to be ME – imperfections and all! It’s so simple, yet it’s hard to understand that you’re good enough sometimes. I don’t need to create this facade to make other people think I am good enough. To be completely honest (yep, here we go) I’ve even put on this sort of blanket over my emotions over the past few years because I was afraid of vulnerability and that people wouldn’t like me the way I am. It’s prevented me from opening up and developing relationships. So here’s to 2018 & being a weird, silly and honest me!

Prioritize health. This past year I traveled so much. I mean at one point I was gone every weekend for three months. Outside of that I was on the road or on an airplane every other weekend. Don’t get me wrong, it was a BLAST. However, I was on no sort of schedule, my life seemed to be scattered and I didn’t work out often. This year, my goal is to run a half marathon (pending any heel injuries) and take 2-3 yoga classes per week to strengthen and cleanse my mind and body.

Get back to being fiscally responsible. Last year, I spent a lot of money traveling, eating out, shopping etc. etc. etc. This year, I’m getting back on my budget and saving more money. It helps me to track my expenses every week in a spreadsheet, so I know where to cut back or pump the brakes. Additionally, I’d like to start generating a second income from this blog, so you guys should notice the volume of posts increase and more consistent posts. I’ve also got some collaborations in the works, so I hope you guys find these fun and interesting! One thing I promise – I will only work with brands I genuinely think offer a good product and something I genuinely like.

Now I’m curious as to what your goals are. Share in the comments below or DM me on Instagram! I get inspired by reading what other people are doing and how you are challenging yourself!

I wanted to provide some links and outfit inspiration (for maybe next holiday season) for you guys in case you liked anything I wore over the holidays. It was a bit crazy for me, so I apologize for not posting this sooner! I hope you had a wonderful holiday and are thriving in the New Year so far!

xoxo,

Cortney

Christmas Card Outfit!

Don’t you love when you plan something and you think it will turn out well, and then the final product is even better than you hoped? Well my Christmas card picture was just that. I had this vision in my head of what I wanted it to look like, and how I wanted it to really look and feel like Christmas – from my outfit to the background. On the morning we shot this, there had been ice the previous day and it was BELOW FREEZING. I was so worried that these wouldn’t turn out well, but Smith Hardy did an excellent job! I love this plaid around the holidays and for winter in general. It’s a very preppy look, and I’m down for it!

My dress is from J.Crew, and, unfortunately, they’re sold out. I linked some similar ones, along with similar shawl’s down below.

Christmas Day Outfit!

I found this sweater a few days before Christmas at Ann Taylor. I was searching for a longer cream sweater that I would also be able to wear to the office, and this perfectly fit those requirements! This is so soft and the sleeves are wizard like as my friend so aptly said. ha! I love that this comes down longer so I can wear it with leggings or tighter pants. BTW – I spilled red wine on it on Christmas day and I put it on a gentle cycle in the wash, and it came right out! I really appreciate a sweater I can wash myself!

Christmas Jammies!

I love this J.Crew Nightgown. It’s so warm and cozy! I ordered a size medium so it would be comfy. It’s a little big, but I didn’t want it to be fitted like normal clothing. I’ve linked this nightgown and a few other nightgowns and pajamas from J.Crew that I’m loving now, too! 🙂

listed some of my favorite sites to shop and their deals below for this weekend. It looks like most sites are running their promotions through Sunday and some through Monday.

Also this is MY BIGGEST SHOPPING SECRET – EBATES. Most every site I shop online at, I receive cashback! I’ve already earned $180 this year! Click this link to signup and definitely download the web browser extension that will alert you the cashback percentage the site is offering on your purchase. If you have any questions, please reach out to me (instagram DM, comment on this post, or email!). I PROMISE you’ll thank me later! 🙂

So here we go with the sales…

JCrew: UPDATED: 40% off + 10% off through noon EST on 11/27 with Code SHOPFAST. (+10% cashback with ebates!)

40% off through Nov. 26th with code THANKU

Lisi Lerch: 30% off sitewide! LOVE all of her earrings! She has my favorite earrings for sure.

Perfect for a stocking stuffer or just a little extra gift! Oh and it’s unique because it’s leather! Smathers & Branson has more leather coozies with other designs but you really can’t go wrong with ‘Merica! 😉

I gave these to my dad last year for Christmas and he LOVED them. Talks about him all the time. Little does he know, he’s getting these every year for Christmas from now on! Definitely perfect for the guy that loves bourbon!

Would love to hear what you’re getting the men in your life below in the comments. More gift guides to come over this weekend! 🙂

It’s my first holiday as a “blogger” and my first gift guide! There are already a ton of sales going on, but everything in this gift guide is under $100 and a lot of these are under $50! These gifts are perfect for your besties, if you feel like you didn’t buy your girlfriend/wife enough, or for your “cool mom” (insert Amy Poehler from Mean Girls)! I’m working on a few more gift guides this weekend – including a what to buy for the men in your life! Let me know what you think and HAPPY SHOPPING! 🙂

Who doesn’t love a good blanket scarf! I love that this one is mostly black with a touch of white and will go with so much for the season. Scarves are the perfect gift because you don’t have to worry about getting the wrong size!

I no longer use a wallet and only carry a card case! I love that this one has the zipper as well. It comes in a few other colors, too, if you’re looking for a more subtle case to go with everything (I just thought this was a beautiful blue).

I’m a southern girl, so no matter what, I’ll always be a sucker for monograms. I like that this is different and the lettering is a little more subtle. It would even be cute to buy all three initial bracelets for a full monogram!

I know y’all are part of the Champagne Campaign, too. This water bottle is PERFECT for your fun yoga friend or your friend works in a cool office where they won’t look down upon her for your drinking reference.

Hi friends! I’m loving this outfit combo that is so easy to transition from work to play! The dress is so easy to wear and is flattering with the cinched waist. It’s not a mini dress so it’s office appropriate which is a major plus. I also love the asymmetrical detail. I’d also add tights to this dress when it gets a little cooler and possibly put a button down under it also!

I paired it with this dark green moto jacket that I’m obsessed with! It’s under $100, but feels and looks like it’s worth way more! I love that it has black buttons and zippers. There are also many different colors, so if you want to mix it up from the neutrals, this is the perfect jacket for that!

I’ve got some exciting stuff going on this weekend for the blog! Stay tuned over the next few weeks. Promise I’m working on my Q&A post, too! 🙂 Have a great weekend! Let me know what you think about this outfit in the posts below, and if you have a question for my Q&A!